There are fearsome diseases that, even today, with all the scientific advances we have, continue to cause fear just by mentioning their name. Among these frightening diseases is rabies and, although it is a condition that everyone knows, there are still doubts about its transmission, forms of contagion or treatment. For this reason, this article on our site is aimed at explaining what rabies consists of, specifically in rabbits, since this disease is usually talked about in relation, above all, to dogs, with which the keepers of these small animals follow raising doubts. Therefore, if you live with rabbits, you have to read on to discover the symptoms of rabies in rabbits and what the treatment consists of.
What is rabies and how is it spread?
Rabies is a viral disease that can affect the central nervous system of any warm-blooded animal. It is especially described in dogs, humans, cattle, bats, horses or cats and can also affect foxes, raccoons, rabbits or mice. Once the virus enters the body, it can remain for a time at the site of entry, and then travel through the nerves to the brain, causing encephalitis and starting the clinical picture. From the brain it travels back to the mouth, specifically to the salivary glands, also following the nerves. But how does get rabies spread? Through saliva, either penetrating through bites, or entering through wounds or mucosa (mouth, nose, eyes). Infection can also occur by inhalation.
The animal affected by rabies will remain asymptomatic during a variable incubation period (which can last for months). Once the symptoms begin, it is impossible to avoid death. It is important to know that rabies in rabbits is very unlikely. Even so, we will see its most common symptoms in the next section.
Symptoms of rabies in rabbits
First of all, you should know that this disease can occur in two presentations: furious rabies and paralytic or dumb rabies. It begins with an initial or prodromal phase that lasts a few days in which the symptoms will be subtle. The signs of rabies in rabbits according to their modalities are the following:
- Furious rage: When the virus causes encephalitis, the first thing that appears is a change in the animal's behavior. Those who were shy lose their fear, while the affectionate ones will present hostility and even aggressiveness, which constitutes the most dangerous behavior, since it is attacking and biting How can they infect other animals? The attacks are triggered without any stimulus. This anxiety and aggressiveness can alternate with periods of depression The sick animal may also show involvement of the facial muscles, which will make it difficult to eat and drink, weakness or seizures. When the disorder paralyzes the respiratory muscles, the animal dies.
- Paralytic or mute rabies: Affected animals appear depressed and strangely docileIn these cases, paralysis of the face, throat and neck is observed, the mouth appears open and the tongue hangs out. The animal is unable to swallow saliva or feed. Therefore, it is observed that the rabbit constantly drools. In addition, the paralysis can affect the hind legs, spreading to the rest of the body and eventually causing coma and death. Sometimes paralysis is the only symptom of rabies in rabbits.
Sometimes the animal bites itself at the point of entry of the virus. You have to know that, first, once any of these symptoms appear, death is inevitable, in fact, rabies, and also rabies in rabbits, does not about. Second, sometimes the animal does not even develop the full clinical picture, but dies directly, so that, apparently, the rabbit dies suddenly.
Treatment of rabies in rabbits
Animals in which the diagnosis of rabies is confirmed are not treated, first of all because there are no drugs that eliminate the virus and, also, because rabies is a disease that can be transmitted to humans (it is a zoonosis), so sick animals that can spread it are euthanized and it is mandatory to report the case to the corresponding authorities. Although in Europe it is considered an eradicated disease, in Asia and Africa rabies is responsible for thousands of deaths each year, mainly from dog bites, in countries where there are no vaccination or hygiene programs (deep cleaning of the bite can prevent the development of rabies), nor can the population access prophylaxis after the bite due to its prohibitive price compared to their salaries. In America, it is considered a controlled disease. Therefore, the only way to combat rabies is prevention through vaccination. In the case of rabies in rabbits, vaccination is not usually done for the following reasons:
- Rabies is very unlikely in rabbits. Its contagion, as we say, is produced by bite and it is difficult for a rabbit to survive the attack of a predator, therefore, it will not develop the disease.
- Our rabbits usually live indoors or have controlled access to the outdoors, so it is very difficult for them to be bitten by other animals. For this reason, its considered mandatory vaccines are only against myxomatosis and hemorrhagic fever, since these conditions could be contracted even if you live indoors.
- The rabies vaccine in rabbits could cause side effects that, since the disease is not widespread in these animals, there is no reason cause. With vaccines, as with any medication, you always have to weigh the pros and cons.
For all these reasons, it is not compulsory to vaccinate rabbits against rabies.
What to do in case of rabies in rabbits?
If, despite the improbability, we suspect that our rabbit may have rabies, we should go to our veterinarian, since it will be he who must confirm or refute the diagnosis. If rabies occurs in a rabbit, the veterinarian must inform the competent authorities and euthanize the animal. We must consult the measures to adopt if we have other animals at home. If the rabbit had bitten us, in addition to thoroughly washing the wound using soap and water, we will have to go to the emergency room to be administered prophylactic measures. These recommendations are especially relevant in areas where rabies is endemic. In Europe and America it would be very rare for contagion to occur.
